People say that dogs smell like fish, especially when they are wet. This can make some people feel bad. In this article, we discuss how to get rid of fishy smell from dogs.
Some people with dogs notice that their dogs smell like fish. This can be embarrassing for some people and might need to be fixed. There are a few ways to get rid of a dog’s fishy smell, such as letting it out in the fresh air, bathing it often, and using a deodorizer. If your dog smells fishy, giving it regular baths will help get rid of the smell. Use a good deodorizer afterward to keep the smell from coming back.
There are a few things you can do to help get rid of the fishy smell that your dog keeps giving off. One thing you could do is try a deodorizer made just for pets. These items will help cover up the smell and keep it away from other people and pets. Another thing you can do is give your dog regular baths. This will help get rid of any bugs or bad smells on their body.
Why Does My Dog Smell Like Fishy?
To figure out why your dog smells like fish, you should first figure out where the smell is coming from. Some things that could cause a fishy smell are gum disease, acid reflux, or yeast infections in the ears or feet. Most of the time, the smell comes from their butt, especially from their anal glands, which are also called anal sacs. These are small sacs on both sides of the dog’s anus. Specialized sweat glands inside them make fluid. Most of the time, this fluid marks a dog’s area and lets other dogs know the dog’s gender, health, and age. Your dog may have anal gland disease if the fluids smell fishy.
Anal gland disease is a common problem in dogs. It happens when the sacs are full or infected, like when there is an impaction, an abscess, or a growth in the anal sac. These problems make it hard for the anal glands to drain properly and can even stop the openings that let the glands drain. No matter what the reason is, you should have your dog checked out by a vet who can give you a more accurate diagnosis.
How to Get Rid of Fishy Smell From Dog?
1. Take Them to the Vet
Take your dog to the vet if it smells fishy. Dogs that smell like fish for no clear reason usually have a problem with their anal glands. The anal glands are two glands that make secretions. They are on either side of the anus. They have a strong-smelling juice inside that is used to mark territory.
Most of the time, the stinky fluid comes out when a dog poops and doesn’t cause any problems. But if a dog can’t get rid of the fluid well, it builds up in the glands and some of it can leak out at other times, giving off a strong, fishy smell. If your anal glands are blocked, they can get infected and turn into abscesses.
When a dog’s anal glands are blocked or infected, it generally hurts, and the dog may bite at its bottom or move along the floor to get rid of the pain. A vet can look at your dog to see if it needs to have its glands emptied by hand (called “expressing”) or if it needs more care, like antibiotics. Dogs generally stop smelling like fish a day or two after being treated.
2. Keep an Eye Out for Other Symptoms
If your dog has any other symptoms besides smelling bad, you must take them to the vet to get checked out. There are also medical reasons why your dog might smell like fish, and if you don’t treat them, they can be very dangerous. For example, a serious uterine infection called pyometra can cause a fishy smell in a female dog that hasn’t been spayed. When a dog has a pyometra, it generally has a discharge that smells bad and is full of pus. The dog may also be lethargic, not want to eat, hunched over in pain, and have a high temperature. The affected uterus is usually taken out through surgery to treat pyometra.
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is another medical reason why a dog might smell like fish. UTIs can happen to both male and female dogs, but female dogs are more likely to get them.
A UTI can make it hard and painful to urinate, and the urine often smells bad. If your dog is peeing or trying to pee a lot and the urine smells weird, you should take them to the vet to get checked out. Most UTIs can be treated with antibiotics alone, but other conditions, like diabetes or bladder stones, can also cause repeated UTIs and may need to be checked out.
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3. Feed a High Fiber Diet
If your dog has had problems with their anal glands in the past and often smells fishy because of them, changing their food may help. If your dog eats a lot of fiber, its stools will stay formed, hard, and regular.
This, in turn, can give the anal glands the pressure they need to help them release, so they don’t build up the fluid that makes a fishy smell. Plain, canned pumpkin is a good way to add more fiber to your dog’s diet, and it can also be used as a training treat.
Also, make sure your dog drinks enough water so they don’t get stuck! When your dog poops, the normal action of the anal glands should be enough to keep the smell of fish away.
4. Give Them a Bath
Dogs get into all kinds of bad stuff. If your dog has rolled around in something that smells bad, you might be able to get rid of the smell by giving them a good bath. Before you bathe them, you should always make sure the vet has given them a clean bill of health.
But if they are healthy but smelly, you can wash them with a shampoo that removes dirt and oils and neutralizes smells. This will keep them smelling fresh.
5. Make Sure They’re Well Hydrated
When a dog’s pee is very strong, it can smell like fish. If your dog isn’t getting enough water, its pee will have less water in it. More ammonia than normal in the urine can cause a strong smell. This is a sign that your dog needs water right away.
If you think your dog is a little bit thirsty, give them water right away. If they show any of the above signs, you should call your doctor. They may need to be given fluids and checked out to see if there are any underlying health problems that could have caused them to become dehydrated.
6. Avoid Beaches
This is obvious, but if your dog loves to play and roll in piles of beached seaweed and finds the stinkiest fish on the shore, you might want to limit the number of times you take him to the ocean. Dogs can smell things very well and use their ears to explore the world.
So, if there is a cool, smelly fish on the beach that your dog can find and roll in before you do, you can be sure that your dog will smell it long before you do. There are a few ideas about why dogs do this, but the most common one is that they are trying to hide their own smell with the strong smell of a dead animal or that they just like the smell. So, keep your dog off the beach if it always wants to roll in dead fish.
7. Check Their Teeth
Dog breath will never smell good, but if it smells bad or fishy, it could be because something is wrong with your dog’s teeth. Dogs need to take care of their mouths because tooth decay, cavities, and abscesses can cause a lot of pain and bad smells.
If your dog has fishy breath, it might have a bad tooth that needs to be fixed. The best way to get rid of the smelly breath and keep your dog healthy is to take it to the vet to get the tooth fixed.
8. Use a Dog Deodorant
The first step to getting rid of your dog’s fishy smell is to use dog perfume. This will help cover up the smell, making your pet feel better. You can do a few things to make your pet feel better and get rid of the fishy smell they give off. One is to change what the dog eats since some things can make the dog smell bad. You could also give them a bath or spray them with a deodorizer. If that doesn’t help, you might have to take them to the doctor.
There are a lot of ways to get rid of a dog’s fishy smell. Most of the time, the dog will need to see a vet to get better. The first step is to try to figure out where the smell is coming from. If you know where the problem is coming from, you can do something about it. If you don’t know what’s making the smell, the best thing to do is take your dog to the vet for a checkup. They will be able to figure out what is making it smell fishy and may be able to help.
When Does a Fishy Smell from Dog Become an Issue?
If the smell of fish keeps coming back and your dog is acting differently than usual, you should take it to the vet.
For instance, if the dog has anal sacs that are clogged, the vet will have to empty the sacs by hand. The AKC says that this may need to be done on a regular basis for small dog types. This can be done by the doctor or the groomer. You can also learn how to do the process yourself if you don’t mind the smell.
In order to treat an illness, the organism that caused it must be taken care of. Your dog might need medicines and other drugs. For diseases like pyometra, the pet’s uterus will need to be taken out through surgery.
If the dog has problems with its teeth, it will need to have them cleaned by a professional. Bacteria can live under the gums, so brushing your teeth every day may not be enough for good oral health.
Summary
There are a lot of reasons why your dog might smell fishy. It may have rolled in something dirty, like its anal sac secretions, teeth problems, stomach problems, UTIs, or infections. Some dogs have a stronger smell than others.
Now, let’s talk about how to get rid of a dog’s fishy smell. You can use baking soda, vinegar, and water to make a dry shampoo or a wet rinse. To keep from smelling bad, you should do things like brush, bathe, and wash your clothing regularly.
Please keep in mind that if the cause is a medical problem, the dog will keep smelling weird until the problem is fixed.
FAQs
What home remedy gets rid of the fishy smell on dogs?
You can give your dog a bath with baking soda and shampoo that has been approved by a vet. Also, wipe their bum often to get rid of any poop that has stuck to it. But you should take them to the doctor to find out if there is a medical reason for the smell.
Why does my dog have a strong fishy smell?
If your dog smells like fish, it’s probably because something is wrong with its anal sacs. It could also be a sign of teeth problems, digestive problems, or infections. Dogs have small sacs on either side of their anus that make a liquid with a unique smell that other dogs can use to find them.
How do I get rid of the rotten smell of fish on my dog?
You should go to the vet to make sure that the strong fishy smell isn’t caused by something wrong with your pet’s health. Other ways to get rid of this smell are to give them a thorough bath with baking soda, wipe their butt after they go potty, or make changes to their food with the OK of your vet.
Why is my dog letting off a fishy smell?
As we’ve already talked about, they could have swollen anal glands, an infection in their urinary system, a yeast infection, or problems with their teeth. It could also be because they’ve been rolling on dead fish.
